Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been cornerstones of the gaming industry for many years. Generally, the popularity of these machines is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine compared with other available gaming options. When available gaming options include many competing machines and the expectation of winning each machine are roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines available because such machines attract frequent play and therefore increase profitability to the operator. Accordingly, in the competitive gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by enhancing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is the concept of a “secondary” or “bonus” game that may be played in conjunction with a “basic” game. The bonus game may comprise any type of game, either similar or completely different from the basic game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome of the basic game. The bonus game concept offers tremendous advantages in player appeal and excitement relative to other known games. Since such games are attractive to both players and operators, there is a continuing need to develop new features and themes for bonus games to satisfy the demands of players and operators. Preferably, such new bonus game features and themes will maintain, or even further enhance, the level of player excitement offered by bonus games previously known in the art. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs.